Improved book-holding stand



-To all whom it may concern,.-

`its vertical adjustment.

UNITED STATES *PATENT OFFICE.

J. S. BROWN, `OF ASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVED VBOOK- HOLDING-STAND.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 114420,dated February 2, 1864.

Beit known that I, J. S. Bnowm of Wash-y f ington, in the District of Columbia, have in Vvented. a new and Improved Reading and` Vriting Stand; andl do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making partof this specimodifications in the construction of certainI parts; Fig. 4, a transverse section of .the standard or support, exhibiting the modeof Likeletters designatecorresponding parts; in all of the figures. The object of my invention is to produce a' stand for holding books while reading or paf per for writing, so that a person can read or;

write either while sitting in a chair, recliningf on a sofa, or lying in bed, and this with thev utmost convenience, relieving the reader or writer of the labor of supporting the books or paper. The stand is also intended for other useful purposes-such as holding music for guitar players, or for other hand musical instruments, for awork stand or table, and for holding food or any other articles for the sick in bed.

The main feature of my invention consists in the employment of an indirect or side snpport or standard between the base and the table or desk of the stand, thereby allowing free room for the table or desk to be brought directly over the chair, sofa, or bed on which the person is sitting, reclining, or lying, the base of the stand going under the said chair, sofa, or bed as far as required.

Other features of my invention consist in certain convenient movements and adjustments of the stand and of attachments thereto, substantially as hereinafter specilied.

The t-hree principal parts of the stand are the base A, standard or support B, and desk or table C. By the standard or support VI designate the entire connection between the base A and the desk or table C.

The base A may be of any desired construction,of sufticient'breadth to furnish a rm support for the table or desk above. Itwillgenerally be found most useful to use afootstool yfor this purpose, as shown in Figs. l and2,

sothat the person seated may rest hisfeet under the table or desk. The standard mayin fact, be applied to an ordinary footstool, which, however, should not betoo high togo under ordinary chairs, sofas, lounges, and

.beds. It is of course preferable to have castors G G under the footstool, as shown `in Figs. land 2.

The standard B extends trst outward to one sideV of the base, the said portion beingdesignated by z' in the drawings. Then it has a vertical or upright portion designated byZ or by k lfm, and thence a horizontal or side portion extending inward from the top of the upright Aportion over the base A, so as to support the table or deskC centrally over said 1 base; or, moreproperly, sothat the center of gravity of the standard and desk or table shall 4loe nearly over the center of the base.

In the drawings the standard is represented yas being pivoted inthe center of the base A,

a vertical portion, f, turning in suitable bushes or a socket of the base. In Fig. l a bush or box, g, is represented as attached to the baseboard a of the footstool, a nut or knob, h, sustaining the pivot f in place. This arrangement allows the standard B to be swung around independent of the base. But when the base has castors this movement is not necessary; and in that case asimple rigid attachment for the standard may be made to the base. When the base is a footstool and has castors, the attachment of the standard is best made to the bottom ot' the base.

To adapt the stand to the various uses specitied, it is necessary, or at least desirable, to adjust the vertical height of the table or disk, and it is most convenient to effect this adjustment in the vertical or upright part of the standard B. A simple method of accomplishing this is most simply represented in Fig. 1. The upright part of the standard has a socket, m, which may be a tube secured on a vertical projection, k, of the outward extension, i, of the standard, into which aportion, l, projecting downward from the inward extension of the standard, ts,and is held in any position or at any height by a thumb-screw, H, or its equivalent. This projection Z should either be lon, journals q q of the bearings I I.

angular or of other shape, so that it will not turn in the socket; or, if round, one side, o, should be attened or otherwise shaped so as to fit in an aperture of the socket corresponding in shape, and thus prevent side turning. Fig. 4 represents this arrangement. Any other modeof adjustment may be employed; or the vertical adjustment may he made at the base A, as indicated in Fig. 3. Here the pivotf screws or is otherwise adjustable in the base as asocket, the outward extension ofthe standard proceeding from the top of the base. The vertical extension may also be applied under the desk or table onthe inward extensiomu; but this is inconvenient. The inward extension, n, of the standard may also be'adjusta ble in length to a limited extent, so asfnot to endanger the rm support of the table or desk; but this adjustment will not generally be found necessary. The outward extension, i, of the standard might also be adjustable;

^ but it is not desirable.

From the inward extension, n, of thestandard a pivot, p, extends upward, on which the table 0r desk G has a revolving movement. This pivot is of course vertical, and the desk ortable is generally centrally pivoted thereon. Any suitable arrangement may be employed for this purpose.

From'the pivot-socket s there extend suitable bearings, I I, on which the table or desk has an Ainclined adjustment, as indicated in Fig. 2. This adjustment may be accomplished in any desirable manner, that represented in the drawings?` showing projecting ears 1 r on the under side of the table or desk,wh`ich turn This adjustment requires the Vdesk to be firmly securedv in any inclined positionrequired. This may bev effected by a thumb screw, L, or its equivalent. The table or desk does not require to be inclined except in one direction, and it may be kept from turning in the opposite direction in a horizontal position by a stop, u, (see Fig. 3,) or its equivalent. The turning movement on the pivot p of the standard may be restrained, if desired, by a tightening-screw, or its equivalent.

On the standard I apply a suitable holder or socket, M, Fig. 3, to sustain a candle, lamp, gas-burner,inkstand, or other article required. This may be removable or permanently attached, and there may be more than one of these.

On one edge of the table or desk there is a ledge, c, projecting upward from the surface of the table or desk to prevent the books or other article from sliding off when the said table or desk is inclined. This ledge may form a permanent part of the table or desk,

or be removable therefrom. The form shown in the drawings with a double-scroll ledge on each edge is a suitable one. The table or desk may have any other form or arrangement desired.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Supporting the table or desk by an indirect or sid'e standard or support extending from the base in order that the space between the base and the table or desk may be clear, and at the same time the table or desk be centrally or properly sustained by the base, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

' J. s. Bnown. 

